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John Mikel Obi has called on the entire leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation to step down, holding the governing body directly responsible for the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Footynaija reports.
Nigeria’s failure to reach the tournament to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be their second consecutive absence from football’s biggest stage.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the former Chelsea midfielder and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner was unsparing in his assessment.
“It’s a hammer blow and I’ve said it so many times again, when you have a country as big as we do, over 300 million people, the biggest country in Africa and we’re not going to the World Cup second time in a row,” he said.
“The FA, the people that are running the FA, they should all resign. They have to resign because it’s the second time it’s happened. We have one of the best teams in Africa and we’re not going to be in the World Cup. It’s a disaster. It’s a disaster.”
🚨🚨Nigeria still awaiting FIFA verdict – NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko
— Super Eagles Supporters Club (@official_esclub) March 7, 2026
Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko has said that Nigeria is still waiting for FIFA’s official decision regarding its petition, clarifying that DR Congo appearing among the six teams listed… pic.twitter.com/cUvKAbdzyA
The campaign was defined by dysfunction. Nigeria cycled through four different coaches during qualification, a pattern of chronic instability that many believe fatally undermined any prospect of consistent performances.
They ultimately finished second in their group behind South Africa, before losing to DR Congo on penalties in the playoff round last November.
Yet the NFF maintains a sliver of hope remains. The federation lodged a formal petition with FIFA in December 2025, alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible dual-nationality players, including former England youth internationals Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, in breach of FIFA’s nationality regulations.
Should FIFA rule in Nigeria’s favour, DR Congo could be disqualified and Nigeria reinstated into the intercontinental playoff pathway.
Despite reports suggesting FIFA has already confirmed DR Congo’s place in the next stage, the NFF says it has received no official ruling and considers the matter unresolved.
